BRYAN FIRE CHIEF REACTS TO FIRE MARSHAL REPORT ON DEADLY FIRE

Bryan Fire Chief Randy McGregor spoke about the State Fire Marshal’s report on the deadly fire at the Bryan Knights of Columbus Hall in February of 2013, during a detailed news conference Wednesday.

The fire killed two firefighters, Lieutenants Eric Wallace and Greg Pickard, and severely injured two others, Rickey Mantey, who lives in Caldwell and Mitch Moran.

Chief McGregor said he was proud of his fire department and in the way his firefighters handled the deadly fire.

McGregor said his department’s review of the incident was similar to the Fire Marshal’s report.

He said the city of Bryan has spent about a half a million dollars for improving firefighter safety since the fire, with about $100,000 being spent on equipment and gear upgrades and $400,000 on hiring and training six new firefighters.

McGregor emphasized that much of what took place the night Wallace and Pickard died could not be put on paper and said the firefighters perform at ‘exceptional levels.’